The following are updates to stories previously reported here and other recent FCC filings and actions:
A recent Notice of Apparent Liability shows the FCC’s boundary when it comes to combining big-four network affiliations under one roof. Though big-four combinations have been done in dozens of markets over the past two decades using various loopholes, it’s the procedure that Gray TV used in Anchorage that caught the FCC’s attention. The NAL says a 2016 rule change prohibits a company that owns one top-four full-power station from buying a top-four affiliation and moving it to a second full-power station that it already owns. In this case, Gray owned KTUU-NBC and KYES-MNT and acquired the rights to CBS programming from KTVA, moving it to KYES. The FCC says the move violated the 2016 rule because Gray knew it would give them two full-power stations rated in the top four. It has proposed a $518,283 fine against Gray; Gray now has 30 days to appeal. (Close readers will note that there are some other full-power big-four combinations around the country, including two in the Lincoln-Hastings-Kearney-Grand Island market, but they were assembled prior to the 2016 rule change.)
Iowa
The Hispanic Family Christian Network submitted applications for licenses to cover indicating that new low-power TV stations K03IS-D (Sioux City) and K06QG-D (Sioux City) have been constructed. Programming is unknown.
Family Radio’s KYFR/920 (Shenandoah) continues to operate at reduced power due to a transmitter problem. KYFR has been using 3.5kW daytime, instead of its usual 5kW, since Dec. 2, and continues to use its licensed 2.5kW at night. Its request for extension of special temporary authority says Family Radio has arranged for a specialized engineering assessment to determine what repairs are needed.
Minnesota
HC2 Station Group’s K33LN-D (Minneapolis) is operating at reduced power of 5.15kW ERP instead of its usual 15kW. The station says in a request for special temporary authority that the transmitter is unable to make full power and that they are working with the manufacturer to obtain a new amplifier.
Nebraska
The FCC approved an upgrade for KWTN/100.9 (Winnebago) from its present 100W/43m to 6kW/66m. The station, owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, had earlier dropped a proposal to move into the Sioux City market.
The FCC approved plans for K262CU/100.3 (Scottsbluff) and K269DO/101.7 (Scottsbluff) to move to a shared tower west of the city, while an application for KNEB-FM/94.1 (Scottsbluff) to make the same move remains pending.
Legacy Communications’ KRGI/1430 (Grand Island) tells the FCC that its consulting engineer hasn’t been able to get to the station to resolve an issue with its directional array that has forced KRGI to operate at reduced nighttime power since 2017. The station’s latest request for extension of special temporary authority says that though COVID-19 travel restrictions are no longer a factor, a backlog of other work has prevented the engineer from getting to Grand Island. The filing says the site visit should be possible during the next several months. KRGI is licensed for 1kW directional at night but is currently using 250 Watts nondirectional; it uses 5kW non-directional during the day.
Flood Communications’ KOHA-LD/27 (Omaha) requested an extension of special temporary authority to continue broadcasting at 4kW while it works to complete a 15kW facility.
North Dakota
Edge Spectrum’s former analog low-power TV station K17HG (Grand Forks) converted to digital on channel 18 as K18NT-D, using 100 Watts.
G.I.G., Inc.’s former analog low-power TV station KCPM-LP/2 (Fargo) applied to construct a digital facility on channel 23 with 700 Watts.
Julie Huang’s Roseland Broadcasting closed on its purchase of future low-power TV station K15MQ-D (Bismarck) from DTV America/HC2 Station Group on July 6. K15MQ-D faces a January 2022 construction deadline.
South Dakota
Rapid Broadcasting and J.F. Broadcasting informed the FCC that analog low-power TV stations KKRA-LP (Rapid City), KWBH-LP (Rapid City), KCWS-LP (Sioux Falls), and KAUN-LP (Sioux Falls) have gone off the air as work continues to construct their digital facilities. July 13 is the deadline for analog LPTV stations to leave the air. KWBH-LP had been off the air since March due to an antenna issue, and the other stations went silent July 8.
Edge Spectrum’s former analog low-power TV station K32FW (Pierre) flash-cut to digital on channel 32, using 100 Watts.
Wisconsin
Magnum Communications applied to modify the construction permit for future FM translator W277DV/103.3 (Fort Atkinson) to move to 101.1 with a less-directional antenna, remaining 250 Watts. Though licensed to Fort Atkinson, the permit specifies a tower site near Edgerton. The modified facility would give the translator a stronger signal to Janesville. It was granted during the AM Revitalization effort to relay WFAW/940 (Fort Atkinson) and faces a December construction deadline.
Waukesha Tower Associates’ WTAS-LD (Waukesha) completed construction of its new digital facility on RF channel 23, which should reach Milwaukee. It had previously transmitted in analog on channel 47. Programming is unknown.
Gray TV applied for a license to cover W33DH-D (Eau Claire), indicating it is ready to go on the air. Gray also has a construction permit for WECX-LD (Eau Claire) on RF channel 14.
The FCC approved channel changes for Baraboo Broadcasting Corporation’s trio of construction permits for new low-power TV stations: The former W43DD-D, W45DR-D, and W47EA-D are now W25FT-D, W22FK-D, and W36FN-D (Baraboo). The permits specify 7.5kW facilities from a tower near Tomah.
Spirit of Prayer Ministries requested a six-month extension of the July 13 construction deadline for a new low-power TV station on channel 18 in Wausau, which has not been assigned a callsign. The deadline for such requests was March 15 but the permittee is seeking a waiver, saying its volunteer engineer has been suffering from health problems and has been hospitalized twice in New York City.